Why has the smartschoolboy9 Reddit been banned?

Although the smartschoolboy9 saga took the internet by storm after Nick Crowley’s YouTube documentary, it all started on Reddit – and it looks like it will end there too, as the page has now been banned. 

Concerned netizens began posting about the case in April 2024 after discovering multiple Instagram profiles that appeared to be an adult masquerading as children with heavily edited, warped, and even explicit imagery. It seemed to originate from the same user: smartschoolboy9, a British adult male who dresses up in school uniforms. 

As concerns intensified, Crowley dropped his YouTube documentary on the case in a bid to raise awareness. He condemned harassment of any kind, but as news spread, the story sparked concerning trends: bizarre theories, alleged copycats, phony interviews, and even fan art. 

Despite rumors of his arrest and claims 59-year-old David Alter/London is behind the accounts, no official police investigation has been launched and his identity was never uncovered. Those who feel concerned had one place to go: the smartschoolboy9 subreddit. But this is no longer the case.

Smartschoolboy9 saga leads to Reddit ban

Reddit

As of November 2024, the smartschoolboy9 Reddit page has been banned due to a “violation of Reddit’s content policy against harassing content.” It’s not uncommon for subreddits to be banned if they cross certain lines, in this case being that it facilitated or encouraged harassment. 

It’s likely that discussion on the smartschoolboy9 subreddit, even if well-intentioned or driven by concern, may have devolved into targeted comments or potentially harmful actions directed at individuals suspected to be associated with the accounts.

As Max Williams, founder and CEO of chatbot marketing tool, Herobot.app, previously told Dexerto, “While the intentions behind these efforts are often well-meaning, the consequences can be severe – both legally and ethically.”

“When individuals take matters into their own hands, they may inadvertently break laws themselves, such as by engaging in harassment or doxxing,” he added. “This not only puts them at legal risk but can also escalate the situation in unpredictable and harmful ways.”

Instagram

Even those who weren’t suspects in the eyes of online detectives spoke out about the issue when the smartschoolboy9 saga was at its height. For instance, Salad Fingers creator David Firth revealed that he walked past the man in question many years ago, having grown up in the same city of Doncaster. 

But after repeated harassment, Firth took to social media to ask to be left alone. “Please stop asking me about smartschoolboy9,” he wrote. “I replied to a DM a few weeks ago asking if I remembered this guy who would walk around Doncaster dressed as a schoolboy with weird makeup on.

“Yes. I walked past him in the town center 20-25 years ago. I WALKED PAST HIM. That’s all.

“He was just your classic ‘local lunatic’ – I was a teenager at the time. I only remembered because his appearance was striking. Now my DMs are full of Tiktok detectives.”

The case continues beyond Reddit

Just because the main smartschoolboy9 subreddit has been taken down, it’s not the end of the case, as revealed in a new deep dive by YouTuber Dankyjabo.

The video explores how spectators continue to reach out to the David London Facebook account, despite having no verification that it’s smartschoolboy9. In return, they’ve received voice messages from the page creator, which Dankyjabo plays and breaks down. 

Although he presents evidence to suggest it could be smartschoolboy9, from his mannerisms to his voice, the YouTuber urged viewers to stop contacting this man due to the dangers it poses. 

The video has been viewed more than 165,000 at the time of writing, receiving hundreds of comments from those who’ve been following the case. “Why can’t he just leave kids alone?” asked one, while another said, “The level of delusion going on is frightening.”

A third added, “To be honest, at first I thought he definitely had some mental disorder or some trauma thing but after this video he’s definitely aware of what he’s doing to some degree and that degree is enough to get him convicted.”

However, one pointed out, “Why are these idiots even messaging him? What do they think they’re accomplishing by voicing their moral outrage in his inbox?”

As said, experts have warned followers to avoid taking matters into their own hands. Kalim Khan, senior partner at Affinitylawyers.ca, stated that the online investigations “demonstrate how easily speculation can spiral into potentially damaging accusations without solid evidence.”

“From a legal standpoint, it’s crucial to recognize that participating in such investigations could expose individuals to defamation claims if the information shared is false or misleading,” he said.

Read more about speculation of smartschoolboy9’s arrest and Crowley’s latest YouTube video. You can also find the new true crime docs coming to streaming this month, and the most shocking Netflix documentaries.